Aberdeen International Airport has committed to tackling its taxi driver shortages this year.
The airport has been running its own taxi service since June 2018, with airport chiefs at the time saying that it would allow them to “manage it more closely”.
Prior to this, Comcab had been the airport’s taxi operator.
But in recent months, there has been growing discontent among passengers about the shortage of cars, and the time they have had to wait to get home.
Airport bosses stressed they were actively recruiting drivers, and that it will be a key priority for 2023.
It is understood they are exploring a “number of initiatives” to improve the service and bring in more drivers.
However, taxi shortages is a growing problem right across the city, due to scores of drivers giving up during Covid. The city council has even changed the Knowledge Test in an attempt to get more cabbies on the road.
‘Fully focused’ on increasing taxi fleet
An Aberdeen International Airport spokesman said: “We need to recognise that a large amount of taxi drivers exited the trade during the pandemic across the city. At the height of the pandemic we had nearly 80% fewer drivers.”
A targeted advertising campaign has resulted in numbers increasing to their largest since the start of the pandemic, standing at about 60%.
In addition to ongoing recruitment initiatives, Aberdeen Airport is also working closely with the council and interested parties to encourage people to join the taxi industry within Aberdeen and said they are “fully focused” on increasing the fleet based here.
However, the spokesman acknowledged this will not be easy.
“The demand for taxis has increased and is much larger than in 2019,” he said. “Contributing factors include a lack of alternative taxis, as all companies are struggling it means those who may have used alternative companies join the airport queue.”
The geography of the north-east adds to the pressure for taxi drivers, with many drop-offs taking a lengthy journey.
Despite this, statistics show that 95% of airport taxi customers are picked up in less than one minute, with 2% having to wait at peak times.
Catching the bus from the airport is also an option, with First Bus’ X27 and Stagecoach’s Jet 727 taking passengers into the city centre.
However, the latter’s Service 747 that went to Ellon, Kingswells, Montrose, Peterhead and Stonehaven was axed last year, adding to the pressure on taxis.
An airport spokesman said: “Our airport supports sustainable passenger access and works closely with transport providers like the new electric 727 buses.
“The team is doing a great job with the limited resources they have.”
During periods where airport taxis are unable to meet demand, the rank is opened to other companies, although this may have limited success due to the ongoing pressures elsewhere in the city.
Conversation